Extensible antenna



Nov. 19, 1940. T. F. WlLLlAMS EXTENS IBLE ANTENNA Filed June 7, 1940 Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in antennas and more particularly to novel and improved extensible antennas of the type especially adapted for use on automobiles.

b v The advantages of extensible antennas on automobiles are well known but the number of sections of structures of this type, as heretofore constructed, that could be moved to extended position to control the effective capacity of the 10 antenna element were limited. From a practical consideration, the actuating mechanism should preferably be located within the telescopic sections'in order that the antenna may be neatly mounted upon the vehicle body and may be extensible therefrom without detracting from the appearance of the car body. Fluid pressure mediums as the source of actuating power have been suggested but they require fluid tight joints between sections which are extremely difficult to 20 maintain. Although this source of power is wholly disposed within the telescopic sections, it has not proved satisfactory nor accepted as practical, but has emphasized the advantages to be obtained through the use of internally disposed mechanical actuators. However, extensible antennas heretofore employing mechanical actuators axially disposed therein have been limited as to the number of sections that could be extended, the movement being insuificient to 3 extend more than a single section.

An object of this invention is to provide an antenna formed of telescopically assembled sectiorm, which may be carried in normal transit in collapsed position so that it will be inconspicuous 3 although it might be mounted at a prominent position upon the car body, and which may be instantly extended into any predetermined length by an internally disposed mechanical actuator capable of extending any number of movable sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extensible antenna construction of this type adapted to be actuated by a novel form of means, which may take the form of a flexible tape-like member wound upon a spool and actuated by a motor drive, including a toothed wheel engaging in perforations in the flexible tape-like member, being capable of moving upwardly through the 50 telescopic sections to engage and move any number of these sections into extended positions.

To this end, the invention contemplates a new and novel construction wherein a flexible tapelike membermay be provided with portions of 55 different widths to compensate for increased diameters of succeeding sections after the top section is extended, whereby this flexible tapelike member may be reenforced at its opposite edges and guided in its movement through the telescopic sections in order to prevent the same 5 from buckling or binding and facilitate its movement through these sections.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detail description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates the upper part of an automobile body showing the manner of mounting an antenna embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the antenna to illustrate the novel form of actuator employed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the base, the cover being removed toillustrate the flexible tape-like member wound upon a spool and actuated by a motor drive including a toothed wheel adapted to engage in perforations in the flexible tape-like member;

Fig. 4 is a View partly in elevation and partly in section to illustrate the motor drive and a switch mechanism adapted to be actuated to either of its two positions by the flexible tapelike member as it reaches the limit of its travel in either direction, this view illustrating the position of the parts and the switch mechanism when the sections have been collapsed and the flexible tape-like member has been wound upon the spool;

Fig. 5 is a similar view to illustrate the position of the parts and the switch mechanism when the sections have been extended and the flexible tapelike member unwound from the spool;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken on line |l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a similar view to illustrate the inter- 4 mediate section positioned within the lower section;

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram of one form of circuit that may be employed; and

Fig. 10 illustrates an antenna embodying the invention and having several intermediate extensible sections.

Referring to Fig. 2, the antenna disclosed herein to illustrate one form of embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of extensible sections telescopically disposed, one with respect to another, there being a top section 2, one or more intermediate sections 3, and a bottom section 4. Although all of these sections may be tubular, upper section 2 is illustrated as a rod capable of telescoping within intermediate section 3, while this intermediate section 3 with top section 2 telescoped therein may be telescoped within lower section 4. The upper end of intermediate section 3 may be provided with a cap 4 through which upper section 2 extends, the latter being provided with an enlarged outer end 5 capable of closing the opening of cap 4 to prevent entrance of moisture and dirt when the sections are collapsed. The antenna illustrated in Fig. 2 shows top and intermediate sections 2 and 3 adapted to be moved in extended relation with respect to lower section 4.

Lower section 4 is mounted upon a housing 5 in which a spool I is disposed. Spool I comprises a central shaft or spindle 8 and a casing 9 having a plurality of resilient fingers I0 positioned about the inner periphery of casing 9, the free end of each finger I0 having a roller II adapted to bear resiliently against a flexible tape-like member I2 as it is wound upon or unwound from this spool I. Tape I2 is provided with perforations I3 to receive the teeth of a toothed drive wheel I4 suitably mounted upon a shaft I5 carried by housing 6. Toothed drive wheel I4 is preferably disposed adjacent an opening I6 in casing 9 through which tape I2 travels upwardly. Side guides I1 and I8 maintaintape I2 in driving relation with toothed wheel I4 so that as the latter is driven by a suitable drive to be presently described, tape I2 will be held upon toothed wheel I4 and caused to be guided through opening It as it moves into and out of casing IS, the spring-pressed rollers II functioning to keep tape I2 tightly wound upon shaft 8. Guide I8 may be cut away at I9 so as to allow tape I2 to be brought closely to drive wheel I4 and keep the teeth of the drive wheel engaging in perforations in tape I2.

The leading or outer end of tape I2 may be related to the lower end of top section 2 to actuate the latter into extended position upon initial movement of tape I2 by toothed wheel I4. As specifically disclosed, this end of tape I2 is folded over the lower end of section 2 and tightly crimped thereabout as indicated at 20. I preferably make tape I2 of a width at least equal to the inner diameter of each section through which it must travel at the time it is extending a preceding movable section. In other words, tape I2 is preferably constructed of portions of different widths, each width being equal to, if not greater than, the inner diameter of the tubular section it moves through when extending a preceding section.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, tape I2 is provided with portions 2I and 22 of different widths. Portion 2I moves through intermediate section 3 when tape I2 is moving upper section 2, either to extend or collapse the same. Similarly, portion 22 is moving through lower section 4 when tape I2 is moving intermediate section 3, either to extend or collapse the same.

Assuming that upper section 2 is being extended, portion 2I continues to move through intermediate section 3 until upper section 2 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon, as the result of portion 22 being of greater width, a shoulder 23 engages the lower end of intermediate section 3. Continued upward movement of tape I2 causes shoulder 23 to lift intermediate section 3 to its extended position, as shown in Fig. 2. During this time portion 22 moves upwardly in lower section 4. As previously stated, it is desirable to make portions 2| and 22 of slightly greater widths than the inner diameters of sections 3 and 4. To compensate for such greater widths of these portions 2I and 22, grooves 25 are provided on opposite sides of the inner wall of section 3, while grooves 26 are provided on opposite sides of the inner wall of section 4. Hence, the opposite edges of portions 2| and 22 ride in grooves 25 and 26. As a result, these portions are reenforced to prevent tape l2 from flexing, buckling or binding as it is pushed upwardly through the tubular sections or as it pulls downwardly to collapse these sections. It will be noted, therefore, that by providing these portions 2| and 22 of slightly greater widths than the inner diameters of sections 3 and 4, tape I2 is not only reenforced against flexing, buckling and binding, but is so guided that it will readily move axially through the tubular sections with little frictional resistance. Moreover, this arrangement permits the use of minimum power to effect the operations of extending the sections to the position of Fig. 2 or of collapsing the sections. Toothed wheel I4 is adapted to be driven by an electric motor 30 carried at the lower end of housing 6, a block of insulation 3I preferably being interposed. Housing 6 is provided with a. cover 32 having a bearing 33 receiving one end of shaft I5. The opposite end of shaft I5 extends through rear wall 34 to carry a gear 35 adapted to form a part of a gear reduction, including gears 36, 31 and 38 driven by a gear 38 on the motor shaft 40. Any suitable supporting means may be provided for the bearings of these gears. If desired, a plate 4I may be provided to form an enclosure to protect the gears against moisture and dirt and at the same time serve as the mounting therefor. This arrangement provides a very simple, compact and eflicient form of drive.

A switch 42 is adapted to control the circuit of motor 30. It may be of a double acting type to permit changing of the polarity of the field windings of motor 30 when moved to either of its two positions. An actuating bar 43 may engage toggle arm 44 so that when actuating arm 43 is lifted, toggle arm 44 will be raised to the position shown in Fig. 4, and when actuating bar 43 is lowered, toggle arm 44 will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 5. A pivotally mounted link 45 is adapted to be operatively connected to the upper end of bar 43 through a pin and slot connection designated 46. The opposite end of pivotal bar 45 extends within housing 6 so as to be connected to bolt 41 extending outwardly from a second pivotal bar 48. The opposite end of pivotal bar 48 is adapted to lie adjacent tape I2 so that it will be engaged and tilted counterclockwise by a pin 49 when tape I2 is wound upon spool I and is adapted to be engaged and tilted clockwise by a pin 50 when tape I2 is unwound from spool I. Pins 49 and 50 are located at predetermined positions upon tape I2 so as to actuate pivotal bar 48 and thereby change the polarity of the motor windings as soon as tape I2 has moved the limit of its travel either upon being unwound from spool I to extend the sections of the antenna to the position shown in Figs. 2 or 10, or upon being wound upon spool I when collapsing these sections to the position shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that gears 31 and 38, rear wall plate 4| and actuating bar 43 will be made of insulating material, the same manner as block 3|, so as to position motor 30 at the necessary distance from sections 2, 3 and 4, and the parts in housing 6 in conducting relation thereto, and thereby prevent interference with reception through the antenna sections.

It will be further understood that the invention contemplates using any number of intermediate extensible sections similar to section 3. I have shown in Fig. 10 an antenna construction embodying'the present invention having upper section 2, lower section 4 and intermediate sections 3 and 3'.

By employing a flexible tape as an actuator to operate the movable sections into extended or collapsed positions and provide this flexible tape in portions of different widths, each width being greater than the internal diameter of the section through which it moves to extend the preceding section and thereby be able to reenforce the opposite edges of the tape and guide the latter in its movement, it is possible to make this tape of any length necessary to adapt it to a given number of movable sections.

Accordingly, the invention is not limited to a single intermediate section but may be applied to an antenna structure having several intermediate sections, as illustrated in Fig. 10. In this connection, I wish to point out that one of the essential features of the invention resides in reenforcing the opposite edges of flexible tape I2 and to guide the same as the tape moves through the tubular sections. Consequently, I do not Wish to be limited to the specific construction shown, namely, making portions 2| and 22 of slightly greater widths than the inner diameters of corresponding sections 3 and 4, so as to ride in grooves 25 and 26 therein but intend that the invention shall extend to any form of flexible tape of the type shown wherein means are provided to prevent the tape from flexing, buckling or binding as it moves through these tubular sections.

The wiring diagram shown in Fig. 9 includes battery wires 52 and 53, a manually operable switch 54 adapted to be located upon the dashboard or other convenient place to open and close the circuit of the radio. Switch 54 may have two positions. When closing the radio circuit it may engage contacts 55 and 56. When opening the radio circuit, switch 54 may engage contacts 51 and 58. Radio circuit wire 59 may connect tocontact 56. Contacts 55 and 56 connect with contacts 62 and 63 by wires 60 and BI. Contacts 62 and 63 comprise two of a number of contacts designated 62 to 13, inclusive, controlled by switch 42. A circuit leading to the motor brushes 16' and 11 includes wires 16 and 11. As previously stated, when tape [2 is wound upon spool 1, pin 49 will engage pivoted arm 48 to tilt pivoted arm 45 and raise bar 43 upwardly to move switch 42 to the position shown in Fig. 4. When switch 42 is in this position, motor winding contacts 64, 65, 68 and I2 engage the right-hand winding contacts 62, 63, 10 and H. Thus, the motor windings are connected in circuit to cause motor to rotate in the direction raising tape l2. When switch 54 is operated to close the radio circuit at 55 and 56, motor 30 will then unwind tape l2. As soon as pin 50 engages pivoted arm 48 to cause it to tilt arm 45, as illustrated in Fig. 5, switch 42 will be moved to its opposite position to connect the lefthand motor winding contacts 66, 61, 69 and 13 in circuit. The motor circuit will then be broken due to the circuit being opened at contacts 62 and 63 and switch 54 remaining in its position engaging contacts 55 and 56. The motor will stop and sections 2, 3 and 4 will be held in extended position. The radio circuit will remain closed. When it is desired to disconnect the radio circuit, switch 54 is moved to its opposite position whereby to engage contacts 51 and 58. The circuit of the motor is now closed to cause the motor to rotate in an opposite direction whereby to wind tape l2 upon spool 1 and cause sections 2 and 3 to collapse. When these sections have collapsed, pin 49 will engage pivoted arm 48 to cause arm 45 to actuate switch 42 to move it again to the position shown in Fig. 4 so that the motor will immediately stop but be in a position with respect to these windings to cause rotation thereof in a direction raising tape l2 when the radio circuit is again closed by moving switch 54 to the position engaging contacts 55 and 56. Thus, the motor circuit may be controlled, if so desired, by the closing and the opening of the radio switch 54 on the dashboard of the vehicle. Each position that switch 54 is moved to will close the motor circuit until tape I 2 has been moved by rotation of the motor a distance suflicient to actuate the extensible sections of the antenna, whereupon switch 42 will be actuated to change the circuit of the motor windings so that the motor will rotate in the opposite direction when this said switch 54 is again moved to the opposite position.

Antenna wire 80 shown in Fig. 2 may be properly connected to the radio circuit as is well understood in the art.

I contemplate mounting the antenna herein disclosed in any convenient location, either under the cowl and behind the dashboard, or at the side between the outside wall and the inside wall slightly forward of the drivers compartment, as shown in Fig. l. The particular location of the antenna is not important except that the simplicity and compactness of the structure disclosed permit it to be installed in places not possible by structures heretofore provided.

I believe that I am the first to provide a flexible actuator of stepped formation within telescopic sections of an antenna so that the shoulders thereby provided may be used to abut and raise the movable sections to their extended position.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions of service, without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

-1. In combination, a plurality of extensible sections concentrically arranged and adapted to be moved from a nested relation to an extended relation, means for extending said sections comprising a flexible member connected to the upper section adapted to be moved through the remaining sections to extend first said upper section and then one or more of each succeeding section or sections, each succeeding section having a larger inner diameter than the preceding section, said flexible member having a portion corresponding to each succeeding section of a width greater than the inner diameter of said each succeeding section, the wall of said each succeeding section being provided with grooves to receive the edges of said corresponding portion whereby to embrace said flexible member and to guide the same is it moves upwardly to extend said sections.

2. In combination, a plurality of extensible sections concentrically arranged and adapted to be moved from a nested relation to an extended relation, means for extending said sections comprising a, flexible member connected to the upper section adapted to be moved through the remaining sections to extend first said upper section and then one or more of each succeeding section or sections, each succeeding section having a larger inner diameter than the preceding section, said flexible member having a corresponding portion of increased width for each succeeding section, said increased width for each portion being greater than the inner diameter of the preceding section.

3. In combination, a plurality of extensible sections concentrically arranged and adapted to be moved from a nested relation to an extended relation, means for extending said sections comprising a flexible member connected to extend first the upper section and then one or more of each sue-- ceeding section or sections, each succeeding section having a larger internal diameter than the preceding section, said flexible member having a corresponding portion of increased width for each succeeding section, and means disposed along the inner walls of said succeeding sections for embracing the opposite edges of said flexible member portions as said portions move through their corresponding sections to extend the preceding section.

4. In combination, a plurality of extensible sections concentrically arranged and adapted to be moved from a nested relation to an extended relation, means for extending said sections comprising a flexible metallic tape adapted to move upwardly through certain of said sections to extend said sections, and means providing a track in which the opposite edges of said tape travel.

5. In combination, a plurality of extensible sections concentrically arranged and adapted to be moved from a nested relation to an extended relation, a spool, a ribbon-like flexible metallic strip wound upon said spool and adapted to be unwound to move through certain of said extensions to extend each preceding section successively, and means to guide the opposite edges of said strip as the latter moves through said sections.

6. An antenna of the character described comprising a plurality of sections telescopically disposed one with respect to another, a mounting for the outer or lower section, said mounting including a spool and a gear drive therefor, a flexible tape wound upon said spool and adapted to be unwound to move through certain of said extensions whereby to extend each preceding section successively, said tape having portions of different widths to correspond to the section through which each portion will move to extend a preceding section, each portion providing an actuating shoulder adapted to engage and lift said preceding section to its extended position.

7. An antenna of the character described comprising a plurality of sections telescopically disposed one with respect to another, a mounting for the outer or lower section, said mounting ineluding a housing and a spool therein, a flexible tape-like member wound upon said spool, a motor drive also disposed in said housing for actuating said spool to unwind said flexible tape-like member, the leading edge of said flexible tape-like member engaging the inner or top section to raise the same first and thereafter the other movable sections as said motor drive is actuated to unwind said flexible tape-like member, said flexible tapelike member being formed to compensate for increasing internal diameters of succeeding sections, and means cooperating with said compensating formation to guide and reenforce said flexible tape-like member as it is unwound and moved through said sections.

8. An antenna of the character described comprising a plurality of sections telescopically disposed one with respect to another, a mounting for the outer or lower section, said mounting including a housing and a spool therein, a flexible tape-like member wound upon said spool, an electric motor also disposed in said housing for unwinding said flexible tape-like member from said spool, the leading edge of said flexible tapelike member being connected to the inner or top section to actuate the same into extended position by engaging the lower end thereof, said flexible tape-like member thereafter extending the other movable succeeding sections, said flexible tape-like member being formed to compensate .for increasing internal diameters of succeeding sections, means cooperating with said compensating formation to guide said flexible tape-like member as it is moved through said succeeding sections, and switch mechanism disposed in unit relation with said housing and said parts disposed therein, said switch mechanism adapted to be actuated substantially upon the limit of travel of said flexible tape-like member to reverse the polarity of the windings of said electric motor.

9. An antenna of the character described com prising a plurality of sections telescopically disposed one with respect to another, a mounting for the outer or lower section, said mounting including a housing and a spool therein, a flexible tapelike member wound upon said spool, a drive also disposed in said housing, said drive including a toothed wheel engaging in perforations in said flexible tape-like member for winding and unwinding the same from said spool, one end of said flexible tape-like member being connected to the inner or top section to actuate the latter into extended position by engaging the lower end thereof, and means on said flexible tape-like member for engaging the lower end of intermediate section or sections whereby to extend the same as said tape is unwound from said spool.

10. An antenna of the character described comprising a plurality of sections telescopically disposed one with respect to another, said sections including top, intermediate and lower sections, a. mounting for the lower section, a spool rigidly positioned with respect to said mounting, a flexible tape-like member wound upon said spool, a drive including a toothed wheel engaging in perforations in said flexible tape-like member for winding and unwinding the same from said spool, and means disposed along said flexible tape-like member at intervals equal to the distance of travel of the movable sections and beginning at the leading end thereof for engaging said movable sections to move the same into extended positions.

TIMOTHY F. WILLIAMS. 

